Letters, Jan. 16

Is jail always the solution?

Re: Ex-trucker addresses boy whose father died in collision (Jan. 13)

I would like to respond to the second last paragraph of the article, which states “Prosecutors are recommending Perlmutter sentence Singh to 18 months in jail.”

Could we as a society not find better ways of using our jails and addressing issues such as highlighted in this article? Do we fail to see the difference in a crime and a terrible accident?

I believe jails should be used to keep people from being a danger to society. For other issues such as the one described in the article, surely we could find a solution that would benefit society and the bereaved family rather than a costly jail term.

For example, if Singh were allowed to keep working to sustain his own family, and have to do some community service, or perhaps contribute to an education fund for the son who lost his father … I don’t know, I’m just an ordinary citizen and not a part of our justice system.

I would encourage the people making decisions like this to be more creative in finding positive solutions that actually help the victims.

Harold Penner

St. Malo

Parents must step up

Re: Teachers need support to deal with violence (Editorial, Jan. 13)

No one can dispute the level of violence and disrespect directed at teachers is increasing, or that teachers need more support to deal with such behaviour. However, the support they need must include support from parents.

Some parents seem to view the school system nothing more that free babysitting. They fail to teach their children respect and that there are consequences for not following rules. The fact that they feel it is the school’s responsibility to feed their children prior to attending school is just one example of parents shirking their reponsibilities.

Yes, I know there will be a huge outcry about the poor disadvantaged in our society. But if a parent cannot even provide for the basic needs of their own child, why would they provide structure in the child’s life? As the article states, “teachers are not looking for sympathy,” and parents should not be either.

Unfortunately the parents who need to step up will never read the article, but it is really high time they did and take back their responsibility for their children.

Janice Chase

Stonewall

More drivel from Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims involving Greenland show either his ignorance and/or him relying on his supporter’s gullibility for believing his drivel.

Once again, Trump’s regime thinks they’re being clever creating an excuse to do what they want but they aren’t. Russia and/or China are not going to invade Greenland (or anywhere else in that region). They both are interested in Arctic sea lanes but neither country is stupid enough to send troops that will either be captured or killed.

Neither country would be able to supply these ghost armies, assuming they can get their armadas there. Much of Russia’s military is tied down in Ukraine. China is pretty well on the other side of the world. They tend to keep most of their forces close to home.

Vince Harden

Winnipeg

Be more humane

Re: Our hens deserve better than cages (Think Tank, Jan. 9)

Tracy Groenewegen’s op-ed rightly calls out the disconnect between the egg industry’s animal welfare claims and the reality faced by millions of hens across Canada.

Despite assurances from industry leaders, most laying hens are still confined to cages so small they can barely turn around — spaces not much bigger than a sheet of paper. These conditions prevent hens from performing even the most basic natural behaviours, such as stretching their wings, nesting, or dust bathing. No amount of carefully worded public relations can change that fact.

If the industry truly cared about animal welfare, its practices would reflect that concern. Instead, we continue to see delays, half-measures, and misleading language that mask ongoing suffering.

Canadians increasingly expect better — for animals and for the food system that produces what we eat. It is time for Canada to move decisively toward cage-free egg production and end systems that prioritize efficiency over basic compassion.

Hens deserve better than cages, and Canadians deserve honesty about how their food is produced.

Robert Murphy

Thompson

It is now 2026 — time to end the cruel cage age! Time to end all cruelty to all animals; time to move forward and to start treating all animals humanely, with compassion and respect!

All animals deserve to be treated humanely and spared suffering; they do not deserve the atrocities that humans inflict upon them.

Eileen Easton

Rocky View County, Alta.

It is important for me that egg laying hens be allowed to live naturally — meaning not suffering in tiny cages.

This is a cruel practice.

Nancy Price

East Dover, N.S.

Comparing leaders

So U.S. President Donald Trump flipped off and dropped an expletive at someone for heckling him at a Ford plant tour over the Epstein files (an obvious sore spot for him based on his reponse, wonder why). What is concerning is not the obvious complete lack of decorum and restraint from the president — that ranks way, way down the list (a White House rep even called his response “appropriate”).

What is concerning is that now this plant employee has been suspended.

In fall 2024, there was a viral clip of a steel worker in southern Ontario directly confronting then-prime minister Justin Trudeau for over a minute on his obvious disapproval for his performance. Say what you will about the former prime minister, but at least he listened to the complaints and offered to shake hands more than once during the altercation as this individual literally talked down to him.

Most importantly, I don’t recall hearing anything about this employee ever being suspended after this face-to-face confrontation. Despite our many problems, it is amazing to live in a country where we can speak like this to our head of state without any fear of retribution.

Think of the number of countries (Russia, China, North Korea and many, many others) where this would be completely unthinkable (and perhaps even suicidal). And now we can apparently add the U.S. to that list.

It appears our two countries are going in very different directions when it comes to freedom of speech.

Warren Banks

Winnipeg

A good deed

I always believe in the best in people, always have, but losing my wallet on a cold winter night heading to a Jets game in downtown Winnipeg in a dark parking lot, I feared the worst.

I didn’t hold any hope of getting it back. The thought of cancelling and reapplying for cards was daunting. My belief in people bore fruit when I checked for mail the next morning and my wallet was in there.

To the very kind people who found my wallet, drove to my home and left it in my mailbox, I say a huge heartfelt thanks, my belief in people is intact and I can also say in the same breath, go Jets go, Winnipeg believes!

Bev Radford

Winnipeg